Bishop Jos Tharakan was born and raised in a traditional and devout Roman Catholic Eastern Rite home in Kerala, India. His parents and four siblings grew up in a poor but religiously diverse and rich place, among Hindus and Muslims. After completing High School, at 15, he joined the Religious Order of Friars Minor Capuchins, First Order Franciscans. He was ordained on December 30th in 1994 and served in the North Indian Missions of the Capuchins. While in Delhi, he served as priest and chaplain to the Missionaries of Charity of St. Mother Theresa and was blessed to know and work with her. Besides being the Assistant Director of the Media House Publication Center, he was an itinerant preacher, music composer, spiritual director, Theology Professor, and interim High School Principal for St. Paul’s and Holy Angels in Uttar Pradesh, India.
At the invitation of Bishop Andrew J McDonald, +Jos came to the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock and served in the diocese until the day of Pentecost in 2001. Then he moved into Chester, AR, a small town of 98 people. There he lived a simple life and worked on a cow farm, caring for 900 cows. After completing eight units of Clinical Pastoral Education in San Antonio and Pine Bluff from 2001 to 2003, he returned to Chester and started a successful business – USLinx – providing internet access to poor and rural communities. In 2006 Bishop Jos was received into the Episcopal Church and served Christ Church, a small mission in Mena, and All Saints in Russellville, AR.
During these years, he presented popular teleconferences on Pastoral Care and Complementary Healing through the University of Texas, and taught the same in hospitals, and the CASA Retreat Center in Scottsdale, AZ. In 2004 he received a certificate of recognition for his innovative Healing Ministry presentation for Chaplains at the International Conference of the National Association of the Catholic Chaplains in Kansas City, MO. His workshops also were approved for Continuing Education Credits for Chaplains and healthcare workers. His CAMPaM Network was officially approved through the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education. In 2015, five years before the projected year of 2020, he achieved his CREDO BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) when he founded the House Of Blessings Foundation, a non-profit renewal center for clergy and laity to grow spiritually. Being technology-savvy, Bishop Jos designed several websites and church apps and currently publishes an online newspaper called the Episcopal Daily. Bishop Jos also is a nationally commissioned Centering Prayer Facilitator through Contemplative Outreach and a member of Spiritual Directors International. Before he was elected bishop of our diocese, he served as rector of St. James Episcopal Church, Springfield, MO.
Bishop Jos is married to Kimby, a preschool teacher and an excellent children’s minister. Combined, they have six children and three grandchildren. They have a dog named Mia and Bunny FuFu, a cat.
Bishop is a published author. His books can be found on Amazon. He enjoys writing music and producing them. They can be found on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, and other music distribution sites. Here are his podcasts. The Red Door and Bishop Jos
